Intro: Before we begin our passage from the gospel of Mark, we need to bring the events into context. Jesus has been in Bethany [meaning House of Afflicted] and is making his triumphant entry through the Mount of Olives [symbolic of entering the holy of holies] and into the holy city of Jerusalem or Mount Zion—the City of Peace/Wholeness. Jerusalem is the appointed holy place where God promises to meet with his human family to heal them and make them whole/complete. Jesus is God’s prophesied and ultimate plan and gift for bringing that wholeness. Jesus walks into the Temple [which is to represent heavenly realities on earth], looks around and then returns to Bethany.

The next morning Jesus decides to go back to the Temple, but he plans to teach the disciples some important spiritual truth along the way. Lesson #1: Jesus is afflicted by hunger and he sees a fig tree nearby, so he draws near to inspect it. He anticipates fruit, but all he finds are leaves. Lesson #2: Jesus curses the fruitless fig tree and it withers from the roots up. Lesson #3: Jesus heads to the Temple and notices the money changers and the people buying and selling animals for sacrifices and he judges the Temple, “My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations, but you have turned it into a den of thieves!” (11:17).

The faith we are instructed to have must be undivided. In Christ, we believe our prayers connect heaven and earth to make sin afflicted people whole. Believers are to connect hungry or seeking people to the Savior—the Tree of Life. Like the fig tree, the Temple had the appearance of caring for the souls of people, but it was barren of righteousness fruit, so it robbed them of the salvation God actually intended. Lastly, Jesus wants faith-driven prayer to be the avenue for wholeness, because he is the Healer and his sacrifice is enough for the world.

Mark 11:20-24 (TPT)
Lessons of Faith
20 In the morning, they passed by the fig tree that Jesus spoke to and it was completely withered from the roots up. 21 Peter remembered and said to him, “Teacher, look! That’s the fig tree you cursed. It’s now all shriveled up and dead.”

22 Jesus replied, “Let the faith of God be in you! 23 Listen to the truth I speak to you: Whoever says to this mountain with great faith and does not doubt, ‘Mountain, be lifted up and thrown into the midst of the sea,’ and believes that what he says will happen, it will be done. 24 This is the reason I urge you to boldly believe for whatever you ask for in prayer—be convinced that you have received it and it will be yours.

Prayer: Lord, I pray for your wholeness and faith to rest in me. May I be a holy instrument that brings wholeness to the souls of your people by connecting them to the Savior. In Jesus’ name Amen.

Intro: It is fascinating to me just how “real and living” the Word of God is for believers. The Word offers revelations that are endless and the scope of opportunities and applications it presents are vast. Consider how beautiful the gift of the Word is in its “bigness,” because it can reach every heart in practical ways no matter how diverse the people. God’s Word contains personal stories of how the Anointed One has revealed His Love throughout history to touch the world. Every unique human being has the invitation to receive and to demonstrate God’s Love in word and action; there are no limits for how it is done in God’s Anointed One.

In our passage today, the Apostle Paul wants us to know the human state before Christ comes to set up his Kingdom in our hearts. We are helpless, weak, and powerless to save ourselves! Wow, let that soak in for just a minute. In spite of how messed up we can be as a human creation, Christ died for us so he could exchange that mess for a Kingdom ministry. That ministry is birthed from the inside out; our hearts become the womb of Love. If we will die to our selfish fleshly demands we can live the resurrection life in Christ’s Anointed Love. If you have invited Jesus into your heart to be the Lord of your life, you are set up for victory so let that JOY fill you. Look for someone who needs Christ’s love and share him, today.

Romans 5:6-11
6 For when the time was right, the Anointed One came and died to demonstrate his love for sinners who were entirely helpless, weak, and powerless to save themselves.

7 Now, would anyone dare to die for the sake of a wicked person? We can all understand if someone was willing to die for a truly noble person. 8 But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!

9 And there is still much more to say of his unfailing love for us! For through the blood of Jesus we have heard the powerful declaration, “You are now righteous in my sight.” And because of the sacrifice of Jesus, you will never experience the wrath of God. 10 So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled [exchanged] us to himself through the death of his Son, then something greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, and because we share in his resurrection life, how much more we will be rescued from sin’s dominion!

11 And even more than that, we overflow with triumphant joy [boasting] in our new relationship of living reconciled to God—all because of Jesus Christ!

Prayer: Lord, there are just so many ways you share the gospel every day with your children. Thank you for the reminder today of the great exchange you offer every human heart. May more people in your world, choose you and accept your offer today! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: I am comfortable when I have a plan, but I realize no matter how well I may seek to organize my life and the events around me, I will never know exactly what is going to happen. You and I can honestly say, “I don’t know what the day, week, month, or year looks like.” Do you realize nothing ever takes Jesus by surprise, because he knows all things? Therefore, you and I must be content with making plans to the best of our knowledge unless the Spirit of Christ reveals something different.

In our passage today, Jesus knows Judas is going to betray him. Jesus knows; yet, he never loses his focus on his part in the Father’s plan. Jesus knows he is going to die; yet, he never tries to stop the Father’s plan. All he can think of is pleasing the Father and preparing his disciples for his death. He tells his followers what is most important for them to know for the future, “Love each other just as much as I have loved you.” Even though the Old Testament commands of God laid out the foundation for love, Jesus set a new standard of love for us to follow. He revealed his love of the Father, as well as his love for his human creation in practical ways. This world produces a poor imitation of love; it actually rejects Christ’s sacrificial love. Therefore, as believers we must reveal the glorious Truth. We will know true believers by acting according to Christ’s standard of love. Our days and our tomorrows are known only to God, but whatever days we are given we must live them in Christ’s love.

John 13:31-35 (TPT)
31 After Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the glory of God to surround the Son of Man, and God will be greatly glorified through what happens to me. 32 And very soon God will unveil the glory of the Son of Man.

33 “My dear friends, [children] I only have a brief time left to be with you. And then you will search and long for me. But I tell you what I told the Jewish leaders: you’ll not be able to come where I am.
34 “So I give you now a new [standard of love] commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. 35 For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you for holding my days and my tomorrows. This brings me peace and comfort, because I know you love me and will make sure I am ready for each day. Help me to love according to your standard. Cause me to be victorious in your glorious love. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: In our passage today, David sings a psalm of gratitude to the Lord; the Lord has faithfully delivered David from his enemies. Throughout this psalm, David sings about how God has been his Rock, Fortress, Shield, Horn of salvation, and the Stronghold that reaches down from heaven. Scripture reveals David was a mighty warrior, but he always knew his success came from fighting in God’s strength and not simply his own.

God wants to be our Protector, too. The Lord works with us all the time to increase our endurance and to make us stronger. With every situation that challenges us, we grow. If, as God’s children, we do not allow ourselves to experience life by his strength, we will not be fit to send back out into the world to stand for him in the midst of evil. You have the choice to be strong in yourself or in the power of God’s might. Choose wisely, today.

Psalm 18:28-30 (TPT)
28 
God, all at once you turned on a floodlight for me!
    You are the revelation-light in my darkness,
    and in your brightness I can see the path ahead.
29 
With you as my strength I can crush an enemy horde,
    advancing through every stronghold that stands in front of me.
30 
Yahweh, what a perfect God you are!
    All Yahweh’s promises have proven true.
    What a secure shelter for all those
    who turn to hide themselves in you,
    the wraparound God.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for being a floodlight of revelation for me each day. You help me see my path, as well as your great provision of grace for each day. Wrap me in your grace today. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

How do you handle being wronged? Do you retaliate, are you quick to defend yourself, or do you seek revenge? How often do you trust that God will bring true justice?

Today, we are looking at the end of Romans 12 where Paul is instructing the Christians in Rome to never repay evil with more evil. Rather, as Christ’s followers, they (and we) are called to live in peace with everyone. Paul goes on to remind Christians that the Righteous One is the only One who needs to handle revenge. In verse 19, Paul directs our attention back to Deuteronomy 32:35, when we see that through Moses, God reminds His people that only He can use vengeance to make things right.

God has always desired for us to allow His justice to rule over our lives. He has wanted us to trust Him from way back in the Old Testament almost 3.5k years ago through Moses, and again in the New Testament almost 2k years ago through the Apostle Paul. Yet, even with this knowledge, how quick are you and I to retaliate, to defend ourselves, or to seek revenge, instead of turning to God and seeking His justice? God not only wants to care for us in all circumstances, He also calls us to an even higher standard, as He wants us to care for our enemies. He wants them to experience His love through us. So, you and I are not to let evil conquer us, we are called, by Almighty God, to conquer evil by the Love of His Son, Jesus Christ!

Romans 12:17-21 (NLT)

17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

“I will take revenge;
I will pay them back,”[a]
says the Lord.

20 Instead,

“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”[b]

21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your justice. Although I may not always understand Your ways or Your timing, I do trust You. So, please help me to love my enemies, help me to allow You to defend my life through Your justice. Slow me down when I am wronged, so that I can allow You to do what needs to be done, rather than trying to do it in my own strength. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant

Intro: If ever there was a time in my life to be acutely aware of my need for the mercy and life-giving power of God, this is that time. My human strength can easily fall short, but God is merciful. I am so grateful for the gift of righteousness I have received in Christ; I can enjoy God’s extravagant favor and liberty. I breathe differently because of Jesus. I process information differently, because of Jesus. I treat people differently, because of Jesus. Because of the blood of Jesus spilled over the mercy seat, my life is free from guilt, punishment/judgment, AND the power of sin.

If you know Jesus, your life is free, as well. Hold that freedom as a treasure, because it is a priceless gift from God. With the freedom Christ provides comes commitment and responsibility. So, please recognize the mercy of God to: 1) Hold back his judgment from your blood-bought life, 2) To shield you from guilt and shame by covering you with his righteous love and grace, and 3) To liberate you from the power of sin through the work of the Holy Spirit. Believers and unbelievers look very different from God’s perspective. “So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God” (1 Jo 3:10). Brothers and sisters, we must live in the righteousness of Christ and reveal the gospel. There is only one way to have the life-giving power of God…his name is Jesus!

Romans 3:21-26 The Gospel Reveals God’s Righteousness
21–22 But now, independently of the law, the righteousness of God is tangible and brought to light through Jesus, the Anointed One. This is the righteousness that the Scriptures prophesied would come. It is God’s righteousness made visible through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ. And now all who believe in him receive that gift. For there is really no difference between us, 23 for we all have sinned and are in need of the glory of God. 24 Yet through his powerful declaration of acquittal, God freely gives away his righteousness. His gift of love and favor now cascades over us, all because Jesus, the Anointed One, has liberated us from the guilt, punishment, and power of sin!

25 Jesus’ God-given destiny was to be the sacrifice to take away sins, and now he is our mercy seat because of his death on the cross. We come to him for mercy, for God has made a provision for us to be forgiven by faith in the sacred blood of Jesus. This is the perfect demonstration of God’s justice, because until now, he had been so patient—holding back his justice out of his tolerance for us. So he covered over the sins of those who lived prior to Jesus’ sacrifice. 26 And when the season of tolerance came to an end, there was only one possible way for God to give away his righteousness and still be true to both his justice and his mercy—to offer up his own Son. So now, because we stand on the faithfulness of Jesus, God declares us righteous in his eyes!

Prayer: Lord, thank you that I do not have to live in guilt, shame, and condemnation. Thank you that I do not have to yield to the power of sin and the works of wickedness. Instead, I can rest on the mercy seat of Christ and his righteousness and learn your ways in life-giving power. I love you so! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: There have been many great leaders throughout history, but there has never been nor will there ever be a human being who serves as the perfect savior. Jesus is the only one who can save the world, because every human is tempted by sin and subject to death. Our confidence must be placed in God alone and he has promised to save us by grace through faith; a gift from God (Eph 2:8). Praise the Lord!

In our passage today, the psalmist reminds us our greatest praise of God is not the words we speak or the songs we sing, but the TRUST we place in his love to take care of us. Not only are we revealing the inner trust of our hearts to the Lord, but we are revealing to others through our attitude and actions our trust in him as Savior. This is our witness. God can be trusted when others cannot; he is a champion of justice and reveals his passion for the truth. Therefore, he takes care of the oppressed while he frustrates the plans of the wicked; he causes them to lose their way. There is no GPS to recalculate when God detours the intentions of the wicked. Praise the Lord!

There are many wonderful things about praise, but let’s revisit just a few. Praise lifts our focus from our problems and onto our all-powerful Lord and Helper. So, stop fixating on your challenges and instead praise the Lord for his ongoing salvation; this is an act of faith and trust. Praise helps us focus on the flawless character of God and opens our eyes to his work in our lives. When we are struggling with the lack of integrity in other humans, remain confident that God’s character and love for you is expressed in perfection and he is the One who is meeting your needs. Praise encourages us to focus on the eternal things of heaven. Spurgeon once declared while preaching, “We cannot be too firm in the holy resolve to praise God, for it is the chief end of our living and being that we should glorify God and enjoy him for ever.” You were created to bring honor, glory, and praise to the Creator. Stay the course, because the Savior is leading the Way. Praise the Lord!

Psalm 146
1 
Praise the Lord!
Let all that I am praise the Lord.
2 
    I will praise the Lord as long as I live.
    I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.
3 
Don’t put your confidence in powerful people;
    there is no help for you there.
4 
When they breathe their last, they return to the earth,
    and all their plans die with them.
5 
But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 
He made heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them.
    He keeps every promise forever.
7 
He gives justice to the oppressed
    and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
8 
    The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
    The Lord loves the godly.
9 
The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
    He cares for the orphans and widows,
    but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10 
The Lord will reign forever.
    He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the Lord!

Prayer: Lord, I praise you for your love and promises that will never fail; for opening my eyes to see your goodness. You truly liberate me from the excruciating weight of being my own savior. Joyful am I with you as my Helper each day. Praise you, Lord! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Spiritual vision is a precious gift from the Lord; in Christ we are granted the ability to see into the spiritual realm of truth. The veil has been torn for believers to enter (Mt 27:51). Much of the world is blind to the truth, because it has rejected the sight or revelation Christ alone can bring to life. We might be able to see things in the natural, but find ourselves totally blind to the true things of the heart—our desperate need for the love, mercy, and forgiveness of God being the greatest truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (Jn 14:6). “There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved” (Ac 4:12).

If we want to see into the spiritual realm of truth, we need God’s work of salvation in Christ, so we can be led by the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, we will be tempted to live our own truth. Beloved, God never asks us to find truth by identifying our authentic self and then living for our own happiness or pleasure. That is a lie; Satan’s propaganda to rob you of life with God. We are to live by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Mt 4:4). If we refuse to live under the authority of God’s Word, we are spiritually blind. Instead, we are to live, move, and actually have our being in Christ—God’s righteousness (Ac 17:28). We are God’s children of Light, not Satan’s pawns of darkness (Mt 5:14).

In our passage today, Jesus is recognized by two blind men; they know he is the Messiah even though they cannot physically see him or witness his miracles. God allows them to see into the spiritual realm for salvation. These men now want to see in the natural, so they can live for God empowered by the Spirit of Truth. In contrast, the Pharisees see and witness every miracle Jesus does among them, but they choose to remain spiritually blind to the truth Christ offers and instead live their own truth. Their hearts are hardened and they choose to stay that way.

“There are none so blind as those who will not see.” John Heywood

Matthew 20:29-34 (NLT) Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
29 As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. 30 Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

31 “Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.
But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

32 When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?”

33 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” 34 Jesus felt sorry for them and touched their eyes. Instantly they could see! Then they followed him.

Prayer: Father, thank you for opening my eyes, so that I might see the glory of Truth—your Son—and; therefore, how I must now live for you. I am blessed and I thank you with all my heart. Help me to keep my eyes focused upon your Word as I am led by the Holy Spirit into all Truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Intro: Prayer is an essential part of the Christian life. We are to bring every concern or trial before our holy Abba and invite his help and support. In the early verses of Psalm 28, David is crying out to the Lord. He begins with prayer and he asks God to hear his fervent cry and treat him differently than those around him who are acting wickedly. He asks for mercy and he plants his faith as he trusts in God. What happens as a result of his prayer? God answers David’s prayer by becoming his strength and wraparound shield. Offering faith-driven prayers to God will always be our best line of defense when we face the spiritual assaults and various trials that will come against our faith.

In our passage today, David’s prayers turn into ecstatic and passionate praise. Praise is the Christian’s response to the love of God; we were created to praise the Lord with our words and with our very lives. David’s response is praise from the depths of his experience; God has arrived to bring help for his present need. When you are tempted to give up on God’s love, start praising the Lord for his goodness and watch as his love begins to wrap around you and his strength to rise up within you. We are in a fight for our faith and trust in God; so, begin with prayer, so you can end with praise.

Psalm 28:7-9 (TPT) My Strength
7 
Yahweh is my strength and my wraparound shield.
    When I fully trust in you, help is on the way.
    I jump for joy and burst forth with ecstatic, passionate praise!
    I will sing songs of what you mean to me!
8 
You will be the inner strength of all your people,
    Yahweh, the mighty protector of all,
    and the saving strength for all your anointed ones.
9 
Save your people whom you love, and bless your chosen ones.
    Be our shepherd leading us forward,
    forever carrying us in your arms!

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the many experiential lessons you have been bringing into the lives of your children. Even though we pour our hearts out to you in prayer, we trust you will cause praise to rise from the depths of our experiences. Bring your children beauty for ashes, Lord, as you deal with the wickedness surrounding us in the world. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

We are living in a chaotic and dark world, and if we view it simply through a natural lens, the world can seem overwhelming, and the problems of the world can seem unresolvable. However, we can rest in the hope of God’s promises for the future. A future that requires us to view it through the lens of Christ, as it is centered around His Second Coming. This should fill us with confident hope, that our Redeemer, Jesus, is coming to clear up the chaos and take out the darkness of the world once and for all.

Today, we are looking at a few verses from Isaiah 59. In the beginning of chapter 59 we see a devastating picture of a depraved society. In the Holy City there is no justice or light because of sin, and the rebellion against the Lord has caused the people to deny Him. At this time, evil is running ramped, and it cannot be stopped by mere humans in the natural realm, only the Lord, Himself, can bring an end to this evil.

Friends, this Truth, in the Old Testament, seems all too familiar to what we are seeing in our world today. These verses point to what has and will come within the New Testament. After reading through these verses, there are some connections to the New Testament that you can dig a little deeper to see just a hand full of how amazing God is to reveal that all things point directly back to Jesus and His Return for His Church. I don’t know about you, but I am EXCITED!

Isaiah 59:15-19 (NLT)

15 Yes, truth is gone,
and anyone who renounces evil is attacked.
The Lord looked and was displeased
to find there was no justice.
16 He was amazed to see that no one intervened
to help the oppressed.
So he himself stepped in to save them with his strong arm,
and his justice sustained him.
17 He put on righteousness as his body armor
and placed the helmet of salvation on his head.
He clothed himself with a robe of vengeance
and wrapped himself in a cloak of divine passion.
18 He will repay his enemies for their evil deeds.
His fury will fall on his foes.
He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.
19 In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord;
in the east, they will glorify him.
For he will come like a raging flood tide
driven by the breath of the Lord.

Verse 15 – In Acts 26 we see that the Apostle Paul is attacked for speaking the Truth of Christ, he is called “insane” as he is imprisoned (Truth is gone in the world, and there is no justice).
Verse 16 – In Revelation 19:1-10, the Apostle John sees that all of Heaven is Praising Jesus, as He will step in to intervene, once again to help the oppressed and to bring “final” justice to His Creation.
Verse 17 – In Ephesians 6:10-20, the Apostle Paul teaches us the critical lesson about “The Whole Armor of God” that we need to put on now; and in Revelation 19:11-13 the Apostle John describes sees Jesus coming, again, as a Warrior and gives details about His Righteousness and Armor.
Verse 18 – In Revelation 16 the Apostle John describes Christ’s wrath on evil in the Second Coming.
Verse 19 – In Luke 17:26-37 Jesus, Himself, describes His Return as like in the day of Noah (symbolic of a raging flood in a time of removing evil); and in Revelation 14:6-13 the Apostle John describes how the Good News is proclaimed to the people (just as people in the west to east will respect the name of the Lord).

Prayer: Jesus, thank You for Your Truth. Please continue to hold my hand, every day, as I walk with You. Help me to cling to Your Word as times get harder and harder and keep allowing Your wisdom to be my guide. Steer me away from sin and allow me to be quick to repent. I pray that many hearts will grow to know You, and that Your Holy Spirit burns brighter and more true within Your kids. I ask all of this in Your Name, Jesus. Amen.

Written by: Jennifer Auer, Pastor Mary Haley’s Assistant